US$252m Allots As Salaries for Gov’t Workers

The Draft National Budget of US$604.04 Million approved by the Cabinet and submitted to the National Legislature by President Ellen Jonson-Sirleaf through the Office of the Speaker has earmarked US$252.1Million as salaries for government ministries and agencies across the entire government. President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf will submit the Fiscal Year (FY) 2015/2016 Draft National Budget to the National Legislature through the office of the Honorable Speaker of the House of Representatives on Monday, June 1, 2015 following its endorsement by Cabinet.

According to an Executive Mansion release, the FY15/16 budget is the first year estimate of Liberia’s second Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) budget program which supports the Agenda for Transformation (AfT), the post-Ebola Economic Stabilization and Recovery Plan (ESRP), as well as, the UNMIL transition program.

The Cabinet, in its meeting of Saturday, May 30, 2015, approved the Draft Budget based on a total projected resource envelop of US$604.04 million. This amount represents Domestic Revenue of US$465.61million; Grants/Budget Support of US$66.23 million; Borrowing of US$58.61; and Carry-forward (surplus from FY2014/15) of US$13.58 million.

Along with the approval of the projected resource envelop, the Cabinet also agreed that key areas of expenditure will include debt repayment (US$32.5 million); million); Social Development Fund and other pass through (US$23.2 million); Health Sector Strengthening (US$73.0 million); Education Sector Support (US$79.4 million) and Security & Rule of Law (US$90.1 million), including (US$15 million for UNMIL Transition), as First Claims on the resource envelop.

Other key areas of funding agreed by the Cabinet include the Government of Liberia’s (GoL) contribution (Counterpart Funding) to ongoing donor financed public investment projects through loans and grants (US$24.5 million), as well as, GoL’s Grants and Transfers to various institutions and entities (US$85.7 million) that contribute to Liberia’s socio-economic reconstruction.

In support of major Public Sector Investments intended to advance Liberia’s post-Ebola recovery, growth, and development, the Cabinet agreed to fund road construction and maintenance (US$44.3 million, including US$17.3 million as GoL’s contribution to donor funded projects) while US$9 million is set aside the renovation of public buildings.

The draft budget also show for expansion of electricity US$2.4 million and district development projects throughout the country – through the National Legislature isUS$10.9 million while water & sanitation takes US$2.3 million.

The budget breakdown further shows US$2million for human capacity building and US$1.5 million for private sector development while National Low Cost Housing Project goes for US$1.5 million; LWSC Water Project (US$1.0 million); renovation works at BWI (US$1 million); renovation works at Tubman University (US$1 million); and a host of other key interventions critical for the delivery of social services and economic transformation.

Consistent with its Open Budget Initiative of the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning, the Draft National Budget, after submission to the National Legislative on Monday, June 1, 2015, will be available on its website (www.mfdp.gov.lr) for public access.

Citizens are encouraged to fully participate in these budget discussions by engaging with their representatives to ensure that the Final National Budget is representative of the country’s needs and aspirations, particularly considering the socio-economic impact caused by the Ebola virus disease.